Imperium sine fine
“An empire without end.”
Virgil, Aeneid 1.279
What does “Imperium sine fine” mean?
Imperium sine fine translates as “An empire without end.”
Limitless power or ambition; used of Rome’s sense of destiny.
“Imperium sine fine” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Imperium | empire, supreme power | accusative singular neuter of imperium, “command, rule, empire”; the object of the verb in the full line |
| sine | without | preposition that takes the ablative case |
| fine | end | ablative singular of finis, “end, limit”; the ablative is required after sine |
How to pronounce “Imperium sine fine”
The two differ only in the first vowel of sine: classical has a short i (SIH-neh), church Latin a long i (SEE-neh). Stress falls on the second syllable of imperium and the first of sine and fine.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “empire without end”. It is taken from Virgil’s Aeneid, book 1, line 279, where Jupiter speaks about the future of Rome.
In the poem the god tells Venus that he has set no limits on the Romans in space or in time. The full line runs “imperium sine fine dedi”, “I have given empire without end”. Virgil wrote the Aeneid in the reign of Augustus, and the epic presents Rome’s rule as part of a divine plan.
The phrase later became a shorthand for Roman self-confidence and, more broadly, for power that claims to have no limit. Today it is quoted in history writing, in fiction and in games, sometimes admiringly and sometimes with irony.
How to use “Imperium sine fine”
It suits a caption or motto about ambition, a book or essay on Rome and empire, or a tattoo for someone drawn to Virgil and Roman history. Used out of context it can sound boastful, so it works best when the Virgil source is clear to the reader.
- Latin
- Imperium sine fine
- English
- An empire without end.
- Source
- Virgil, Aeneid 1.279
- Era
- Antiquity
- Theme
- Power
Common mistakes
- It is a fragment. In Virgil the words imperium sine fine are the object of dedi (“I have given”), so the full line is a statement by Jupiter, not a free-standing slogan.
- Imperium is neuter and the phrase stays the same in the nominative or accusative. Do not change the endings to make it “feminine” or plural.
- Sine always takes the ablative, so fine cannot be changed to finem or finis.
- It is not a Roman political slogan or an official motto. It comes from a poem, not from a law or an inscription.
Questions about “Imperium sine fine”
What does “Imperium sine fine” mean literally?
“Empire without end”. Imperium means command or rule, and by extension an empire, while sine fine means “without limit”.
Who said “Imperium sine fine”?
Virgil wrote it in the Aeneid (1.279). In the poem it is spoken by Jupiter, who promises the Romans empire without end.
How do you pronounce “Imperium sine fine”?
In classical Latin: im-PEH-ree-oom SIH-neh FEE-neh. In church Latin the second word is SEE-neh.
Is “Imperium sine fine” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. It is a correct phrase taken from Virgil, with sine followed by the ablative fine. Keep the spelling exactly as written.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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